Making colorful fish print T-shirts is one of the favorite hands-on activities at the annual Salmon Festival, hosted in Knights Ferry this past weekend.
Marg Jackson/The Leader

From making mobiles to colorful fish print T-shirts, listening to music and enjoying some freshly grilled salmon, the emphasis was on salmon, the Stanislaus River and the environment on Saturday.

A huge crowd flocked to Knights Ferry, where they could look for salmon making their way up the Stanislaus from the bridge over the river, as well as take advantage of multiple activities on site.

There were also a variety of conservation-themed booths set up, many with free information and activities.

Among them was the Delta Gold Diggers, who had on display some of the garbage they have pulled from the river while panning for gold.

“We’re probably up to 15 to 20 tons of trash we have removed,” said Robert Guardiola of the Diggers.

At the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service booth, creepy crawlies of all types were available for an up close look, while a microscope allowed visitors to see what the salmon eat.

Manning the booth, Kes Benn and Beth Campbell of the Fish and Wildlife Service said they basically are classified as “the bug people” and usually draw an inquisitive crowd.

Other booths featured merchandise for sale with a fishy theme, there were demonstrations, displays and there was also an adoption event hosted through the Oakdale Animal Shelter.

The festival was sponsored jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District, FISHBIO, and other local partners. This year marked the sixth annual event and the crowd made sure to keep all presenters busy throughout the festival.